Bonjour from southern France! I just finished sewing this tailored shirt using Simplicity 1538, view B. This was the first time that I’ve made a shirt from this pattern and I am so pleased with the results. This is a great pattern for a fitted shirt. I’ve already purchased fabric to make it again!

The fabric I used was from my stash; I purchased it last year at Fabric Outlet (or online at Califabrics) in San Francisco. I like this all-cotton fabric because it goes well with wool vest that I was knitting, as well as other pieces in my wardrobe. I just finished knitting this wool vest and I love how it looks with my new shirt.

I started out by making a muslin. The only alteration I made was to shorten the arms by two inches. Making a muslin takes extra time, but what I love about the process, besides the fact that the final product fits perfectly, is that the muslin fabric pattern pieces will last forever and I can use them over and over again to make a custom-fit garment.

Below is the muslin piece for the front of the shirt. I always cut the perimeter of my muslin pieces wide, about 2 – 3 inches, to allow for any modifications to the fit. Once I determine the sewing lines, I use a compass to draw a 5/8″ seam allowance and then I cut along that line.

This is the sleeve piece, modified by shortening.

All of the seams are flat-felled seams. I think the inside of this shirt looks as nice inside as it does on the public-facing side.

The flat-felled seam attaching the sleeve to the body was the most difficult and lots of pins enabled me to make a nice seam on the first pass.

The collar and collar stand were easy to attach.

The collar, yoke, front plackets, and cuffs are all top stitched.

I used buttons that I bought at a tag sale.

Here’s the back of the shirt. There is just a bit of gather in the middle.